Puppy and pet for sale scams
Fake pet sellers post photos of adorable puppies at low prices. They avoid video calls, ask for a deposit through a payment app, and then add shipping, crate, and insurance fees.
How this scam works
There is no puppy. Each payment leads to another fee from a fake "pet transport" company until you stop paying.
Common versions of the message
- A purebred puppy far below normal price
- No video calls or visits
- A deposit plus shipping and crate fees
What the message looks like
Text from Golden Pups Home
Yes Bella is still available! She is only $400 because we are moving overseas. We cannot do video calls. Send the $400 deposit by Zelle today and pay the $650 shipping crate fee to the pet transport company when she ships.
Fictional example based on common, publicly reported scam patterns.
The red flags
- 1
Too cheap: “only $400”
Purebred puppies usually cost much more
A purebred puppy far below normal price is a lure.
- 2
Cannot see her: “We cannot do video calls”
A real breeder will show you the puppy live
A real breeder will happily show you the puppy on a live video call or let you visit.
- 3
Pay first: “Send the $400 deposit by Zelle today”
Zelle payments are hard to get back
Zelle and similar payments are like cash and hard to get back.
- 4
More fees: “$650 shipping crate fee”
The fees keep coming and the puppy never does
Extra fees for crates, insurance, or shipping keep coming. The puppy never does.
What to do
- Do not send a deposit until you have seen the puppy live or in person.
- Do a reverse image search on the photos to see whether they were copied.
- Buy from a local shelter or a breeder you can visit.
If you already replied, clicked, or paid
- If you paid, call your bank right away and say it was a scam.
- Do not pay any more fees, even if they threaten that the puppy will be harmed.
- Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
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